Endless conveyer



M 5, 1953 I F. G. MITCHELL 2,637,455

ENDLESS CONVEYER Filed Feb. 27, 19 51 5 Sheets-Sheet l v To vwlv v 1 I/vve "To 3 I 6% Id. W zy'm ag wv m y 5, 1953 F. e. MITCHELL 2,637,455

ENDLESS CONVEYER Filed Feb. 2'7 1 951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INL B T P afkLhuM ww4 M l bow May 5, I953 F. G. MITCHELL ENDLESS CONVEYER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 27, 1951 %m b Q Olin ai F. G. MITCHELL ENDLESS CONVEYER May 5, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 27 1951 U. MM

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| I L A ril- ' 0 1: l' Q gra -E $11 May 5, 1953 Filed Feb. 27, 1951 Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application February 27, 1951,'Serial N0-.*212,843 E In Great Britain April'25, .1950,

7 Claims. (C1. M le-16.24)

' 1 .This invention relates to endless conveyors, intended in particular for the elevation to the sur face, from the bottom of a mine-shaft, of materials such as coal, stone and dirt, and of the type (hereinafter referred to as the type described) comprising an endless movable chain, belt, cable orlilre carrier supporting at'spaced intervals in itsilength, containers for the material torbe handled.

The invention provides an endless conveyor of the type described whereincach container cornprises aplatform adapted to receive, support and provide a locked engagement for, a loaded wagon or mine-tub; and so pivotally articulated to the endless carrier as to be capable of being swung bodily (as a unit with the supported wagon) by rotation about its axis of pivoting to discharge the-contents of the Wagon, and wherein means are" provided at a selected location orlocations in the path of the conveyor to effect rotational movement as aforesaid of the platforms.

According to a feature of the invention the conveyor may comprise a vertical run at the lower end of which a loading lift and an unloading lift are positioned alongside the rising and falling strands, respectively of the conveyor, each lift,

being adapted toreceive and support a wagon and to be movable vertically at substantially the same speed as the conveyor strands and in alignment with a conveyor platform, whereby wagons may betransferred from the-loading lift to the rising strand of the conveyor and from the falling,

strand to the unloading lift, without interrupting the movement of the conveyor. guide means are provided inorder to prevent swinging movement'of the conveyor platforms duringtransfer of wagons to and from the plate a plurality of. bunkers or, dumps. sequentially ar-v Convenient,

ranged in the path of thehorizontal run, com-'- bined withImechanisms arranged in association with the several bunkers for operation selectively.

may comprisetoothed or friction wheels concen trio with the platform suspension pivots, and

movable chains, orbelts arranged to engagethe 1 tootl'iedv or friction Wheels and by appropriatew 2, movement while soengaged tocause rotation of the platforms about their pivotal axes.

According to a still further feature of the invention, each wagon-supporting platform is equipped with movable stops arranged to be brought into engagement with front and rear portions oi the wagon (e. g the front and rear axles) and, thereby lock it. against, forward and rear-, Ward movement onvthe platform, means being provided in the path ofthe, conveyor. for automatically.effectingmovementof the stops aforesaidbut of their locking positions. The stops maybe in the form of, arms pivotally mounted on .the platform and adapted to be swung into and out ot the locking position, spring means being provided on the platform for constrainin the stops towards the locking position, and operating levers being associated with the stops and arranged for co-operation with fixed cams or equivalent devices located ,in' the path of the conveyor.

In one arrangement'accordingto the invention each wagon-supporting platform is comprised by a ..U shaped iramewhereof the base is equipped with wagon-running rails andconstitutes the platform proper and the side members are equipped with means for the pivotal articulation of the'frame to the endless carrier. Conveniently the platform framework includes a bridge piece or' pieces extending between the side members of the frameand arranged to look a wagon sup ported on the: platform against perpendicular movement in relation thereto,

An example embodying the foregoing andother features oftheinyention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings,

(partly diagrammatic) in which:

Figure" 1 is a diagram showing the general,

arrangement of th whole conveyor plant;

the mine-shaft;

Figures 3 and4 are Side elevations showing one particular construction of swinging platform and,

wagon locking means, and.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the arrangement I illustratedin Figures 3 and 5.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts in the several figures.

In this example the ap aratus is designed for the elevation of material such as coal, stone and dirt from the bottom of a mine-shaft to surface level and for the horizontal conveyance of the material above surface level to various storage receptacles or dumps." The conveyor comprises endless carrier chains Ill arranged to provide a vertical run ll extending from the foot of the mineshaft to a situation above surface level and a horizontal run l2 extending from the top of the vertical run over receiving bunkers it, l4, l5, of which there may be any desired number corresponding to the various classes or grades of material to be handled. The carrier chains H! are supported by pulleys it of which one or more may be driving pulleys. At equal intervals in their length the carrier chains IE} support wagonreceiving platforms ll each of which is so pivotally coupled to the carrier chains that it may be rotated about its pivotal axis through 180 in order to capsiz-e supported Wagon 3i! and thereby to discharge the contents of the latter. Each platform if is furnished with means, e. g. automatic in action, for locking a wagon securely in position.

Loading and unloading lifts IS, it are provided at the bottom of the mine-shaft, the loading lift It being adjacent to the rising strands of the carrier chains ill while the unloading lift i9 is adjacent to the falling strands. The lifts i8, it are arranged for vertical movement alongside the rising and falling strands of the conveyor and at substantially the same linear speed as the latter. The arrangement is such that when the platform is of the loading lift it is at the bottom of its travel a full wagon standing on a marshalling track 21 (which may include a weight table 22) may be transferred, by gravity or otherwise, on to the lift platform. The loading lift Hi is so driven in synchronism with the carrier chains, that its platform 2% will commence its upward movement when in register with a conveyor platform l! on the rising strands of the carrier. The lift being driven at the same speed the conveyor, the two platform will move upwardly in alignment so that the loaded wagon on the lift may be passed by gravity or otherwise on to the conveyor platform. When this transfer has been completed the lift platform 21 will be returned to the lower limit of its travel ready to receive a further loaded wagon from the marshalling track 2i and to ascend in alignment with the next conveyor platform to arrive at the foot of the lift. The platform 23 of the unloading ift i3 is arranged to commence its downward travel when in alignment with a conveyor platform H on the falling strands. Here again the lift is arranged to move at the same speed as the conveyor so that the lift platform 23 and conveyor platform H will descend in alignment, during which time an empty wagon may be transferred from the conveyor to the unloading lift. When the lift platform 23 reaches the lowest point in it travel the empty wagon may be passed out of the lift on to a track 2 3 suitably arranged to receive the empty wagons. By means of the mechanism just described transfer of wagons to and from the conveyor may be effected with minimum impactand, as already indicated, without interrupting the continuous movement of the conveyor. Vertical guides 25 are provided in order to prevent the carrier platforms from swinging while transfer of wagons to and from the conveyor is taking place.

The pivotal axis of each conveyor platform I! is positioned above the centre of gravity of the combination of platform and wagon with contents. Concentric with the pivotal axes of the platforms, toothed or friction wheels 26 are provided, these wheels being arranged for engagement by mechanisms which are located above the three bunkers 13, it, I5 and are selectively operable to effect rotation of the engaged carrier platform with the wagon supported thereon through Each operating mechanism may conveniently comprise two endless chains or bolts 2?, 28, extending horizontally above and below the lower lap of the horizontal run l2 of the conveyor, with a gap between the upper and lower chains into which the mothed or friction wheels 26 will be received. The arrangement is such that normally the operating chains 21, 28 will travel at the same speed as the conveyor so that no turning effort will be applied to the wheels 26. Provision is however made for causing the upper and lower chains 2's, to travel at different speeds in order to effect turning movement of the wheel 26 associated with a conveyor platform and so to capsize the supported wagon and to discharge its contents into the bunker. When the platform with its supported wagon passes beyond the influence of a turning mechanism it may be allowed automatically to swing back (by the action of gravity) to the erect position. However, in order to enable the material to be discharged with a minimum of impact on the moving parts, it is preferable that the platform and empty wagon should be returned to the vertical position under control. For this purpose the movement of the operating chains or belt 21, 28 may i s so arranged that when the tub has been emptied, say at the middle of a bunker, the platform will be swung back to the erect position under the control of the chains. While it is possible to arrange to drive the chains 2?, 28 so that the platform is rotated first through 180, or less, one direction to empty the wagon, and then through the same amount in the reverse direction, a simpler arrangement is to arrange for the platform to be rotated completely through 360.

tefcrring now to Figures 3, 4 and 5, these show, by way of example, details of one particular construction of wagon-supporting platform and wagon-locking means. The platform proper is constituted by the base i? of a U-sh'aped frame comprising spaced upright members 4t secured at their lower ends to the sides of the base structure. Running rails ll for the wagon are mounted on the upper surface of the base. The truck 30, when in position on the platform, is restrained against movement perpendicular to the platform by means of angle iron bars d2 secured to the uprights of the u ohaped frame and arranged to overhang the wagon wheels 29. Alternatively, or in addition, angle-iron bars 43 may be provided across the top of the frame.

The endless carrier comprises twin chains, to which each wagon-supporting platform is pivotally articulated at A l by means of pins #5 aligned parallel with the platform and secured to the side members it of the platform frame. The pivotal axis provided by the pins 5 is located above the centreof gravity of the combination of platform and loaded wagon. The toothed. or friction wheels 25 (previously referred to) are rigidly secured, at positions co-axial with the pivot pins 35, to piatework i6 forming parts of the side members til of the platform frame.

In order to prevent movement of a wagon while supported on a platform, in either direction along the platform rails, steps 47, 58 are provided to form abutments (as shown in Figure 3) for the wheel axles 3!. The stops il, it are in the form of bell crank levers pivotally mounted on the platform base structure and each having a lower arm 49 linkedto a tie-rod 50 passing through a.

' are maintained by the the 4 "rent position shown in ll, it are keyed to v n or which means are the shafts and so operating Diherent operating means are outoirig and incoming sides of lever 53 carrying it The normal I shown in full lines in cam surface 533 is provided on the off loading lift it in a posi m ner-ate with the lever roller ill when 1 into proximity with the oil- When the roller Ell comes into conthe stepped face of the cam 53 the lever into the position shown in dotted e depressing the stop All clear gon axle iii and permitting the wagon to as en ti a platform on to off-loading lift.

On the i2 iinside of the platform (right the st ucture keyed to it a short crank til, the outer end h is coupled hy a link ti to one arm of a "l 52 (pivotally mounted at 63 on e) having its other arm carrying anged to co-operate with a fixed or attached to structure of the it). As the p iorin ll rises, the the pod surface of the lil will he do (to the position shown in clotted lines gure S) to lower the stop t and thereby to 1'1 it a full wagon to be tran ecl from the loading lift on to the rising platform of the conveyor.

Provision may he made by electrical or other means to ensure the automatic unloading of the contents of any particular tub into the bunker corresponding to the contained material; and all necessary electrical inter-locking devices would be provided to ensure that should any irregularity occur at any point of the system, the whole of the apparatus would he brought to rest so that the reason for such irregularity could be investigated.

The arrangement at the top and bottom of the mineshait may he varied to suit particular conditions. For example, lifts may be used on the surface, to remove tubs from the top 01 the elevator.

In elevators embodying endless chain conveyors of the type described it is known, for the purpose of reducing the maximum tension in the conveyor chains, to employ at each of several intermediate stations t e height of the elevator a rotary or endless tra g member which is externally driven and at ted to engage the rising and falling stretches of the chains. In this way the lift of the elevator is sulo-divided in its height into a plurality of sections at the top or which only a part of the required total lifting force need be applied, i. e. a part proportional to the load on that portion only of the carrier which extends downwardly from the point of application to the intermediate tracking member at the top of the next lower section. If desired, a tension relieving device or devices of this kind may be employed in the drive to the conveyor chains of the present apparatus, particularly in association with the vertical run.

, and the arrangement is such thatv Iclalm:

1. An endless conveyor; comprising an ei'idless movable carrier. supporting at spaced intervals in its length platforms, each platform being adapted to receive, support and provide a locked engagement for a, loaded wagon and being so pivotally articulated to the endless carrier as to be capable of being swung bodily, as a unit with -where the platforms are to lie-rotated and arranged to'engagethe wheels and means for driving the elements so that when a platform \is not required to be rotated the speed of the elements is the same as that of the conveyor carrier, there being then no relative movement between the elements and the carrier and that when a platform is to be rotated the speed of the elements differs from that of the conveyor carrier, thereby producing relative movement between the elements and the carrier, which will cause rotation of the platforms while the elements engage the wheels.

2. an endless conveyor according to claim 1 comprising a vertical run extending from the bottom of a mine-shaft to a situation above surface level, and a horizontal run extending from the top of the vertical run over a plurality of bunkers or dumps sequentially arranged in the path of the horizontal run, the said mechanisms being arranged in association with the several bunkers for operation selectively to effect rotational movement of wagon-loaded platforms to discharge the contents oi the wagons into the appropriate bunkers.

3. An endless conveyor according to claim 1, having a vertical run at the lower end or which a loading lift and an unloading lift are positioned alongside the rising and falling strands respectively of the conveyor, each lift being adapted to receive and support a wagon and to he movable vertically at substantially the same speed as the conveyor strands and in alignment with a conveyor platform, whereby wagons may be translerred from the loading lift to the rising strand of the conveyor and from the falling strand to the unloading lift, without interrupting the move ment of the conveyor.

i. An endless conveyor according to claim 1 combined, for each wagon-supporting platform, with movable stops arranged to be brought into engagement with front and rear portions of the wagon to loci: it against forward and rearward movement on the platform, means being provided in the path of the conveyor for automatically efiecting movement of the stops aforesaid out of their locking positions.

5. An endless conveyor according to claim 1 combined, for each wagon supporting platform, with stops in the form of arms pivotally mounted on the platform and adapted to be swung into and out of abutting positions in relation respectively to the front and rear axles of the wagon to prevent forward and rearward movement of the wagon on the platform, spring means on the platform for constraining the stops aforesaid towards the locking position, and operating levers associated with the stops and arranged for co-operation with fixed cams located in the path of the conveyor to engage the levers in such manner as automatically to effect movement of the stops out of the locking position.

-6. An endless conveyor according to claim 1 whereineach wagon-supporting platform is comprised by. a U-shaped frame whereof the base is equipped with wagon-running rails and constitutes the platform proper and th side members are equipped with means for the pivotal articulation of the frame to the endless carrier.

7. An endless conveyor according to claim 1 wherein each wagon-supporting platform is comprised by a U-shaped frame whereof the base is equipped with wagon-running rails and consti tutes the platform proper and the side members are equipped with means for the pivotal articulation of the frame to the endless carrier, the

8 U-shaped frame also including a bridge extending between the sid members of the frame and arranged to lock a wagon supported on the platform against perpendicular movement in relation thereto.

FREDERICK GILBERT MITCHELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 818,225 Brown Apr. 17, 1906 1,517,707 Castleman Dec. 2, 1924 1,692,970 Warnick Nov. 27, 1928 1,725,264 Garnett Aug. 20, 1929 2,323,920 Knudsen July 13, 1943 

